Sir John leeching on Akufo-Addo to save own skin – Frank Agyekum

Former President John Kufuor’s Spokesperson, Frank Agyekum, has told Radio XYZ that those national executive members of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are clamouring for the Party’s twice-defeated Flagbearer to run for a third time, are drowning men clinging to straw to save their own “dwindling” political fortunes.

“Those making statements, really, are tying their political apron strings to that of Nana Akufo-Addo”, Mr. Agyekum told Radio XYZ’s news analysis programme ‘The Analyst’ on Saturday September 7, 2013.

“…Perhaps some of them have seen that their fortunes are dwindling”, he surmised, adding that: “The only way they can make it, is to hold on to Nana Akufo-Addo and make it appear that they are more Nana than anybody else”.

He insisted: “…That is what is happening. That is what I believe is happening”.

A fierce debate is currently storming within the party over its future presidential Candidate after the General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, told XYZ News that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will definitely run for the 2016 elections.

He has found good company in other prominent party members, including Ashanti regional Chairman, F.F. Anto, and founder-member Dr. Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor.

They argue that Nana Akufo-Addo has been better marketed than any of the prospective aspirants for the flagbearer slot and thus, the former Attorney General stood a better chance of winning the presidency if allowed to go for the third consecutive time.

Some of the other names speculated for the flagbearer slot include two-time aspirant Alan Kyeremanten who is widely perceived as the next in succession; former General Secretary and Legislator Dan Botwe; former Campaign Director of Nana Akufo-Addo in 2012, Mr. Boakye Agyarko; Nana Akufo-Addo’s 2012 running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; former Information Minister Oboshie Sai-Cofie; former Trades Minister, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, and former Ambassador to the U.S., Isaac Osei.

Sir John’s behaviour, has already attracted flak from one of the hopefuls, Dr. Apraku, who, in an interview with XYZ Breakfast Show on Friday, September 6, 2013, condemned the General Secretary’s open “bias” for Nana Akufo-Addo.

“This is not the time that we should be dividing ourselves, this is the time that anything that we say should help unite the party,” he counseled and added that: “…There are other alternative views for this party”.

According to him: “It cannot be the case that the General Secretary or any other executive from any part of the party, [who] is involved in setting down [processes for various elections in the party], should have preconceived views. And not just that, but go ahead and tell people what ought to be. That does not inspire confidence in the work that these individuals will be charged to do, and I think it’s most unfortunate”.